"The ruins around the edge of the school are a wall," I said.
"A wall?" He asked.
"Yeah, each of the ruins is like a tower along the wall," I explained. I could see the strange towers in my mind's eye as I described it. There was power there, I felt it. I just didn't know what it was for.
"That must be part of the school's protection." He said matter-of-factly. I raised my eyebrow in question. "The founders of the school long ago cast powerful spells of protection over the school. So powerful in fact, that mages today still don't know how they did it."
"So you think its the result of an ancient spell?" I clarified, remembering the aged stones that made up the towering wall.
"That's my best guess." He answered.
"It travels all the way around the Academy. Is there any way to get past it?" I asked.
"We will probably learn that in time." He smiled at my impatience. "Ah yes, I almost forgot. Did you mark the Shrine of the Queen of Witches."
I groaned, "I forgot. But I've been there before, I can just mark it down."
He was smiling, in that mischievous way that told me, he was going to make me do something I didn't want to do. "Lesson number one, Esther, never take the easy way out." He chuckled to himself.
"Alright," I whined. "I'll go back."
"It's good practice. I'll meet you back here." He said.
The way back to the liminal was breezy and open, but I couldn't help but feel more hurried. I knew it wouldn't matter, but I wanted this to be over with already. The fabric of the worlds parted for me and I entered to cool damp air of the Liminal.... again. I let my attention wander, aiming my thoughts in the direction of the shrine. That was the best way to get anywhere, to imagine yourself being there, then it would appear. If you were in the right frame of mind. I was annoyed at myself for having to come back and so I was only moving very slowly towards my destination.
The stillness of the Liminal World was unsettling when I first came here, but now it was comforting. It signified solitude and solitude meant safety. So when the trees around me began to rustle their silken leaves, I grew afraid. Any movement felt amplified in a place where all was quiet and still. I could feel the vibrations of every movement against my skin, like ripples in a pool of water. I pinpointed the movement to the forest north of me.
Lucian said once that my training would intensify, maybe this was all part of it. I squared my shoulders and began to move toward the disturbance. I began to flex my fingertips. I was a witch, not a mage. The training I had received at the Academy was all about fussy rituals with intricate steps. My magic on the other hand was simple. Its power came from inside me, and not the whim of some capricious god. It worked the best when I let it flow freely from me. Energy crackled down my arms, leaving me with goosebumps.
The mist obscured whatever had caused the movement. I thought about calling Nox, but he was probably still asleep back at the cottage. I'd let him rest his feathers. I could handle this one on my own. As I moved closer, a cloud of birds flew up out of the trees and disappeared into the mist above. Keeping my footsteps silent, I circled in closer. Then I heard the wailing. It was the banshee. The high-pitched keening was so much louder than it had been before, that I had to cover my ears. The banshee's screech was eardrum-splitting and I worried that it was doing some kind of damage to me. I broke into a run and moved towards the creature. A hunched figure robed in black was standing in a cluster of trees, rocking back and forth.
Stealthily, I crept toward the banshee, allowing the mist to cloak me. I drew it in around me, creating a cloud of mist to hide behind. When I saw the face beneath the black hood, I had to fight hard to suppress a deep shudder. It was all darkness except for a gaping maw that produced the cursed sound of wailing. This was nothing like the banshee I had seen before. Perhaps that had not been a fully formed creature, while this was an adult.
Everything in me was desperate to turn away, but instead, I moved closer. Letting the power build in my hands, I sent a ribbon of fire towards the stooped figure. In doing so, I had exposed my position. The banshee shrieked again, and I doubled over from the full force of her cry. Again I sent a tendril of fire to wrap around her, binding her to the spot, but the fire didn't seem to burn her. She kept moving towards me. By the time I could react she was close enough to nearly touch me. I couldn't stand her screaming.
I let the magic flow from every pore of my body, covering me in fire. The banshee seemed drawn to it like a moth to a flame. She reached out a hand and I could see the mottled grey skin that covered her bones. I began to back away. Why wasn't she scared?
I turned, would I be able to outrun her? Would the Liminal world let me? The pounding of my feet echoed hollowly against the trees. I tried to find my way out, away from the banshee. The first banshee had simply crumbled to ash when I used flame against her. How would I manage to fight this one, who didn't seem to be afraid of anything?
5
The Shrine of Moonlight
I couldn't get away fast enough. The banshee was on my trail, but I could only move so quickly. I started to enter the area close to the fen. It was swampy and full
